Field of Invention
The present invention relates to novel fungicidal active compound combinations comprising a phenylamidine compound of formula (I) and further active compounds (II) and (III), selected from the groups (A), (B) and/or (C) to a process for preparing these active compound combinations and to the use thereof as biologically active compound combinations or crop protection compositions, especially for the control of phytopathogenic fungi in plants and/or in the protection of materials and/or as plant growth regulators.
Description of Related Art
WO-A 00/46 184 and WO-A 08/110313 each disclose the use of phenylamidines as fungicides and their preparation starting from commercially available materials. WO-A 08/110313 discloses phenoxyphenyl-amidine compounds according to formula (I), methods for producing such compounds starting from commercially available ingredients and their fungicidal uses.
WO-A 03/024 219, WO-A 05/089 547 and WO-A 05/120 234 generally disclose fungicide compositions comprising at least one phenylamidine and at least one further known fungicidally active ingredient. Object of these earlier inventions are mainly binary compositions referring inter alia to the binary combination of phenylamidines and further fungicides. Further it is generally stated therein, that such binary compositions may further comprise additional components such as fungicides but no concrete ternary combinations are specified.
Since the environmental and economic requirements imposed on modern-day crop protection compositions are continually increasing, with regard, for example, to the spectrum of action, toxicity, selectivity, application rate, formation of residues, and favourable preparation ability, and since, furthermore, there may be problems, for example, with resistances, a constant task is to develop new, alternative crop protection compositions, in particular fungicidal crop protection compositions, which in some areas at least help to fulfil the abovementioned requirements. One way of fulfilling such need can be the development of novel compositions comprising several fungicides which have advantages over the known compositions at least in some areas.
In view of this, it was in particular an object of the present invention to provide active compound combinations or compositions which exhibit fungicidal activity against phytopathogenic fungi in plants, in the protection of materials and as plant growth regulators. Moreover, it was a further particular object of the present invention, to reduce the application rates and broaden the activity spectrum of the fungicides, and thereby to provide an active compound combination or composition which, preferably at a reduced total amount of active compounds applied, has improved fungicidal activity against phytopathogenic fungi.
The present invention provides active compound combinations or compositions which in some aspects at least achieve the stated objective, i.e. which exhibit fungicidal activity against phytopathogenic fungi in plants and/or in the protection of materials and/or as plant growth regulators. Moreover it has been found, surprisingly, that the active compound combinations according to the invention not only bring about the additive enhancement of the spectrum of action with respect to the phytopathogenic fungi to be controlled that was in principle to be expected but achieves a synergistic effect which extends the range of action of the component (I) and of the components (II) and (III) in two ways. Firstly, the rates of application of the component according to formula (I) and of the components (II) and (III) are lowered whilst the action remains equally good. Secondly, the active compound combination still achieves a high degree of control of phytopathogenic fungi in plants even where the three individual compounds have become totally ineffective in such a low application rate range. This allows, on the one hand, a substantial broadening of the spectrum of phytopathogenic fungi that can be controlled and, on the other hand, increased safety in use.
In addition to the fungicidal synergistic activity, the active compound combinations according to the invention have further surprising properties which, in a wider sense, may also be called synergistic, such as, for example: broadening of the fungicidal activity spectrum to resistant strains of plant diseases, such as fungicide resistant phytopathogenic fungi; lower application rates of the active compound combinations; sufficient control of phytopathogenic fungi with the aid of the active compound combinations according to the invention even at application rates where the individual compounds show no or virtually no activity; advantageous behaviour during formulation or during use; improved storage stability and light stability; advantageous residue formation; improved toxicological or ecotoxicological behaviour; improved properties of the plant so called plant physiology effects, for example better growth, increased harvest yields, a better developed root system, a larger leaf area, greener leaves, stronger shoots, less seed required, lower phytotoxicity, mobilization of the defence system of the plant, good compatibility with plants. Thus, the use of the active compound combinations or compositions according to the invention contributes considerably to keeping young plants stand healthy, which, for example, safeguards quality and yield. Moreover, the active compound combinations according to the invention may contribute to enhanced systemic action. Even if the individual compounds of the active compound combination have no sufficient systemic properties, the active compound combinations according to the invention may have this property. In a similar manner, the active compound combinations according to the invention may result in higher long term efficacy of the fungicidal action.